


The Five Times We Met At The Train Station And The One Time We Did Not

by kuresoto



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, It went a bit Crack at one point, They're both kind of disasters, in their own special way, train!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 10:08:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8975320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuresoto/pseuds/kuresoto
Summary: Exactly what it says on the tin(or the five times rey assaulted ben in some way lmfao)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the-reylo-void (Anysia)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anysia/gifts).



> Prompt: Train AU! Rey and Ben/Kylo are both regular train commuters whose schedules keep overlapping
> 
> When I first got the prompt, I had such an amazing expectations on how it would look like but by the time the deadline came, it became much to be desired ;-; I hope it's enjoyable at least...
> 
> Thank you so so much [@politicalmamaduck](http://politicalmamaduck.tumblr.com/) for looking over this mess for me <3

 

\- I -

 

“Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit!”

Rey struggled to take her transport card out, with a piece of toast wedged between her teeth muffling her curses and catching drool leaking from the corner of her mouth. The moment she heard the gates give off their customary _beep!_ , she dashed towards her platform. Dipping in and out between morning peak hour rush commuters, Rey tried her best to avoid bumping into anyone. However, her side bag whipping behind her and smacking into the passing people made it futile. She heard a shout behind her and half wondered if it was aimed at her.

Running up every second stair to her train platform, Rey sighed in defeat as she watched her train disappear into the distance. Her shoulders dropped and her head hung low. The next train was due in seven minutes, which wasn’t a long time to wait, but then she couldn’t walk leisurely to work.

“Excuse me?”

Rey massaged her temples gently before furiously scratching her scalp in irritation. She quickly took out of her phone and searched the next available train. Her eyes narrowed as she bit her bottom lip. Maybe if she jumped on the express she could beat the train she missed and get there on time?

“Hello?”

Having flashbacks of the last time she did it, Rey realized she couldn’t. When she attempted to ‘train jump’, all she had to show for it was her phone screen cracked into hundreds of pieces and the bitter taste in her mouth as she watched the train disappear into the distance. _Again_. No way, the effort wasn’t worth it.

“Hey, girl!”

Rey snapped out of her reverie when a large hand clapped on her shoulder. Instinctively, she grabbed the offending hand and twisted it, spinning herself around as she did so.

“Ah! What the hell!”

The man was much taller than her, body bending over with a head of dark curls covering his face as he followed his arm being contorted. Rey blinked and immediately let go. “S-Sorry!” She stepped back and waited for him to set himself straight. “I thought you were a thief or a pervert or something,” she joked lightly, grinning in hopes to diffuse the anger she sensed from him.

The man looked at her, unimpressed. “Yeah,” he drawled. “I would be a pretty shit thief since I’m trying to give this back to you.”

Rey looked down and almost choked at what was in his hand. “My bank card!”

“Yeah. You dropped it when you ran for your train that you,” he paused and looked up at the train timetable before continuing, “obviously missed in the end.”

“Thank you so much!” Rey quickly slipped the card back into her wallet. “Sorry for earlier by the way.”

“Oh, it’s fine. I don’t really need this arm anyways.” He waved his hand dismissively. As he did so, he caught sight of the time from his wristwatch. “Well, I’m glad you got your card back. I gotta go or I’m gonna miss my own train.”

Rey watched as the tall man sprinted down the stairs to his own platform. After a few moments, she saw him reemerge a few platforms away, chest slightly huffing before a train blocked her view, preventing her from analysing the man further.

 

\- II -

 

Rey didn’t think about much of the man for the rest of the day. Swamped with customers trying to get their last minute Christmas shopping done, she didn’t even have a moment to herself, much less to spend on some guy she met at the train station. She doubted she would ever see the man again. Twelve hours later, however, with her bones weary from being on her feet all day, she did.

The train jolted to a stop, causing everyone standing to stumble and everyone sitting to brace themselves. Grumbling, Rey pushed herself up on her seat and looked around, one of many heads that did so. The sight of an elderly lady struggling to stand a few metres away caught her eye, causing Rey to move forward instinctively. “Excuse me,” Rey started, indicating at her seat she just vacated.

The old lady offered a grateful smile but faltered after a moment. Rey followed her line of sight and turned around to see some teenager occupy the seat she just vacated. Sighing, moved back to her seat. “Excuse me, but I vacated this seat for that lady,” Rey said, pointing at the lady behind her.

The teenager proceeded to stare directly ahead, ignoring Rey. After her long day at work, Rey had next to no patience to deal with little shits like the _child_ in front of her. “Hey! Did you hear what I said? Get up!”

“Fuck off, lady,” the teenager sneered, flipping her off in the process.

“What did you just-” Before Rey had the chance to grab the kid by the scruff of his neck, another person stepped in.

“Hey kid, don't be so rude.”

Rey looked up and was surprised to see the man from earlier that day next to her. His dark hair was now pulled back into a low bun, allowing Reyo to have a proper glance at his face. It was an unusual face, certainly not the generic handsomeness she had long since grown tired of seeing, but there was something about him from which Rey couldn't pull away. Before Rey could even try to get a better look, the tone from the teenager pulled her from her thoughts.

“Look, you want the seat so bad? Fine! Take it, old man!”

“I’m not an old man! Hey, watch it!”

The following events seemed to happen in slow motion. She watched in horror as the teenager jumped up from the seat, pushing the man (Card-Guy, as Rey referred to him internally) as he did so, the train jolted back into motion. The combination of the car moving as well as the shove, Card-Guy staggered backwards into Rey.

“Argh!”

Despite the train being packed, no one seemed to move forward to help the scuffle. Nor did anyone seem to help when Card-Guy fell over her, his long body draped over her own with his hand unmistakably on her breast. His hand twitched and was met with a swift kick to the face.

“Fuck! What was that for?!”

“You know what you did!” Rey sent a glare and hurried to her feet. Ignoring the grumbling man, she turned her attention to the frail lady waiting nearby. “Here, let me help you to your seat.”

By the time the lady settled in her seat, the train was close to her stop. She looked at Card-Guy, seeing him standing nearby and sulking whilst holding his face. Understandably, since he tried to help and she kicked him. Rey huffed. What was she supposed to do? She probably should thank him for helping but it was just a mess, with so many people staring as well.

_Ding, ding! We have arrived at Jakku Station!_

Sending the man one last look, Rey squeezed through the packed train and onto her platform. If she wasn’t so tired and desperate to get home, she would have straightened things out between them, but alas, she really needed a long bath after her day. Besides, it’s not like she would see him again.

 

\- III -

 

“Seriously?” Rey stopped at the top of the stairs that led to her platform, hand on hip and stared at the man who stood a few metres away.

Card-Guy looked up sharply, hearing her undignified cry. “You again?”

“This is becoming either a crazy or creepy coincidence,” Rey commented, moving to stand next to him.

The man grunted. “You’re telling me. Should I let you get your punch out of your system and get that over with?”

Rey blushed with embarrassment. “Yeah, sorry about that but you have to admit, it was warranted.”

Spinning around, Card-Guy brushed his hair aside and pointed at his face. “This was warranted right after I helped you?” he asked incredulously.

“Oh, shit.” Staring back at her was a bruised eye, the purple blotches of skin making her cringe. “I didn’t realise I got your eye.”

“Surprise,” he said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

“Well you _did_ grope me.”

“ _I did no such thing_!”

“You did!”

“I fell on you! I didn’t _grope_ you!”

“You did! Look, I’ll show you!” Grabbing him by the shoulders, Rey pulled him towards her and placed a hand on his chest. Then ever so gently, she _squeezed_.

“I did not do that!” Card-Guy swatted her hands away and crossed his arms over his chest protectively. “My hand _may_ have twitched but I certainly did not squeeze!”

“Twitching or squeezing, it was weird.” Rey crossed her arms over her own chest.

The man scoffed. “It wasn’t as weird as you groping me just then.”

Heat crept up her neck and Rey turned to the man so fast she almost heard her neck crack. She gaped at him, unsure of what to say to him. He merely cocked a brow at her, analysing her embarrassment before letting out a deep laugh.

“It’s fine. I mean, it’s understandable that you can’t keep your hands off me.”

Rey couldn’t stop the smile that spilled on her face. “You’re the worst. I don’t even know your name.”

“I think we’re past formalities with how intimate we’ve been.”

Rolling her eyes, Rey stepped on the train that pulled up in front of them. Noticing that he didn’t follow, she assumed his train was next to come. She sent him a wink just as the train doors closed and got a glimpse of the man sputtering before the train pulled away.  

Rey couldn’t stop grinning for the rest of the day.

 

\- IV -

  
Christmas and New Years passed without another encounter with Card-Guy, much to Rey’s disappointment. At times, she would catch herself looking around too eagerly, hoping to catch sight of the tall man with dark locks. She was starting to look forward to the random times they stumbled into each other.

Leading up to Christmas, Rey had spent a lot of time helping at her friend’s shop to combat the last minute holiday shoppers. With the New Year rolling past and the holiday rush dying down, she wasn’t needed at the shop and thus, didn’t need to go to the station as often. Her daily commutes dropped to weekly commutes near the end of January.

The snow still peppered the roads and the cold still prickled her skin but it was refreshing for her as she stepped onto the train platform. A puff of smoke wafted from between her lips, the semi-transparent gas dancing before her. She started humming a non-specific tune, eyes wandering until it fell on a familiar figure.

Not far off from where she stood was Card-Guy, eyes glued his phone with his free hand buried deep in his thick coat. His lips were in a straight line, almost like a frown but that didn’t stop Rey from approaching him.

Sensing someone approach him, he looked up, eyes wide at Rey standing next to him. “It’s you.” She nodded. “I haven’t seen you around much.”

“Well, you know how it is.” Rey waved her hands around. “Holidays and all. I don’t have to work in my friend’s store since the Christmas rush is over, so I didn’t need to train it to the city.” She didn’t know why she was explaining herself to this man, someone who she didn’t even know, but she couldn’t help but continue. “How were your holidays?”

He shrugged. “You know, same thing every year. Alone at home, watching whatever holiday movie is on.”

“I’d tell you that you shouldn’t have spent the holidays alone, but I’m the last person to say that.” Rey coughed and kept talking, glossing over her own comment. “I see your eye is better.”

“Let’s hope my new year resolutions of not getting assaulted by random females pulls through.”

“Oh? There’s someone assaulting you?” she asked.

The man let out a light laugh. “You, I’m talking about you.”

Rey pouted. “I haven’t been assaulting you. Not intentionally at least.”

“Uh-huh,” he snorted. Rey opened her mouth to argue when a smile cracked on his face. “I know, it’s fine. Running every so often into Card-Girl, whose name I still don’t know, is a refreshing change to my life.”

Rey snickered. “But isn’t that part of the fun? The weirdness about our whole relationship, if you could call it that?”

He harrumphed. “If you say so.”

They fell into a comfortable silence, him turning his attention back to his phone while Rey rocked on the balls of her feet, chewing the inside of her mouth as she enjoyed the morning sun. A sudden gust of wind shook the nearby trees, causing a flurry of leaves to blow onto the platform they were standing on. Rey covered her face to shield herself and when she opened her eyes again, she noticed a leaf had gotten stuck in the man’s hair. Without another thought, she reached up and brushed it from his head.

The man froze, body still but eyes watching her closely.

“You had something in your hair.” Rey rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to suddenly punch you. Chill.” A moment later, Rey regretted her words.

When she tried to pull her hand back, a stray zipper on the sleeve of her jacket got caught on his hair.

“Ah!”

“I’m sorry!!”

Rey looked around frantically, panic setting in as passing people stared at them from behind their phones. They better not be recording them, Rey thought angrily as she pulled on her sleeve once more.

“Gah! Don’t pull!!” The man yelled, his long body practically folding in on itself to follow her wrist.

“I’m not! Okay hold still! Let me just.”

_Snip_

Card-Guy remained motionless, back bent as Rey removed herself from him, wringing her wrist and watching loose black strands fall to the ground. “There, problem solved.”

“Did you just cut my hair?” he whispered, voice so soft that it sent chills down her spine.

She rolled her sleeves up so that they wouldn't get caught again and carded her hands through his hair. She ruffled his hair and then patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, no one will know.”

“ _I_ will know though.”

“Seriously, get up.” Rey pulled his arm upwards until he stood up and loomed over her once more. She reached up and adjusted his hair before taking out her own phone. “See, you look fine. Handsome like always.”

His eyes slid from the screen up to her face. “You think so?” Rey tipped her head to the side in question. “That I’m handsome,” he elaborated.

For the second time in the span of a month, a blush crept up her neck and warmed her ears. “I-I-” Rey stuttered, not sure how to respond. The way he looked at her caught her off guard. They didn’t even know each other's _names_. Why was he staring at her like that?

_Ding ding ding! The train on platform nine is approaching. Please stand behind the yellow line. Ding ding dong!_

The noise of the train pulling up to the platform along with the rush of people pushing past her made her break eye contact with him. She felt her body become weak, unsure of how to answer him and followed the crowd onto the train.

Card-Guy watched as her train pulled away from the platform.

 

\- V -

 

Two weeks passed with Rey apprehensively looking around the train station every time she needed to go somewhere. Two weeks of Rey wringing her hands with her heart in her throat, nervous that she would run into Card-Guy again. She would have normally laughed him off if his stare didn’t pierce her soul.

As worried as she was, the two weeks that passed was a whirlwind of activity with Rey frantically preparing the last of her lesson plans before the start of her new job. While it was nice to have a casual retail job during the Christmas break, it was a nice way to reset herself before she started teaching as a college professor.

Waiting on a different platform than her usual, she cradled a cup of coffee in her hands, warming them as she waiting for her train.

“Okay, what are you doing here?”

Rey turned around, sloshing some of the hot liquid of the lip of her paper cup, and gaped at the man whose voice was no longer something new. “You!”

Card-Guy ignored her. “You’re never on this platform. You’re always east-bound.”

“You took notes?”

“No!” The man caught himself and cleared his throat. “No, I didn’t. I’m just very observant, especially of someone as interesting as you.”

Rey snorted. “You can stop sugar-coating how we met.”

“Okay but I wasn’t lying when I said you’re interesting.” The train pulled to the platform and he stepped onto the train without a glance back.

Rey sputtered. Was he trying to ask her out? She quickly followed him onto the train and sat down next to him. “So where are you headed?”

“Corellia.”

“Oh really? Me too. I start my new job today.”

“Nervous?”

Rey shook her head. Starting her new job was nothing compared the nerves she felt the past two weeks, not knowing when they would run into each other again. “I’m quite excited actually. I’ve had the whole Christmas break to prepare so I’m ready.”

“We should go out to celebrate your first day.”

“Are you asking me out?”

Card-Guy turned away from her and looked out of the window. “Maybe.”

She couldn’t help smiling at his nervousness. “I’m Rey.” The speed of Card-Guy looking at her only made her smile wider.

“Ben.”

 

* * *

 

Her inane grinning probably freaked people out. It wasn't right to be so happy when it was crunch time before semester started, but even two hours later, Rey couldn't stop thinking about it. They had parted ways at the station, agreeing to meet there at night after they exchanged numbers. Normally she wouldn't let some guy distract her so much from her job, but with how they met and their unexpected subsequent meetings, Rey found it surreal.

The elevator pinged at her floor and she made her way to the labs. She was expected to publish her own works, and working at a university with fully equipped labs would be a great help and improvement.

_Beep_

Strange.

_Beep beep_

Rey started to feel like an idiot, standing in the brightly lit hallway, furiously swiping her card when evidently she hadn't been given access to the labs just yet. Sighing, she turned around to head back to her office when her shoulder bumping into someone passing by.

“Argh!”

“Shit, I'm sor-Ben?”

“Rey? What are you doing here?” he asked incredulously.

“I work here?”

Before Rey could explain that _this_ was her new job, or even ask why Ben was there ( _Please don't be a student, please don't be a student, please don't be **my** student, she thought_ ), a fellow staff member Rey met earlier jogged down the hall to her.

“Professor Niima! I'm glad I was able to find you! Oh, I see you've met Professor Solo! Well that's good, if you need the labs you'll have to battle this guy since he's always here.”

The pair stared at each other as their colleague waffled on about some article, the chatter falling on deaf ears as Rey and Ben remained in a state of shock due to the other’s presence.

 

\- VI -

 

Ben Solo rubbed his temples in annoyance. It wasn’t even that early in the morning, so he couldn’t complain, but being on the phone with his mother was enough for his head to throb. Then again, the festive cheer and the sheer amount of people on the street was enough to irritate him.

“Yes, Mother. I know, Mother. No, don’t put Dad on!” Ben sighed in frustration as the female voice on the end of the line was replaced with a gruff male tone.

“Ben.”

“Dad.”

A grumble. “Your mother thinks that if I talk to you, you’ll stop being so antisocial and meet someone.”

“And you know that isn’t going to happen, right? I’m too busy with work to even muster the energy to go out in my free time.”

“I know. Too bad your mother doesn’t.”

Weaving his way through the crowds of the train station, Ben balanced the phone on his shoulder as he got his travel card out. “You can tell her that I’ve signed up for dating sites if it gets her off your back.”

“It might be better if I don’t mention that. You would probably use that dumb name and it would age us ten years just thinking about it.”

“Kylo Ren isn’t a dumb name,” he muttered, swiping his card through the gates. As he did so, he saw a girl with a slice of toast in her mouth run past him. He stopped to let her run by, but saw a distinct green card fall from her pocket. “Hey, wait! Dad, I have to go. I need to get my train.” Not waiting for a response, Ben hung up and slipped his phone into his pocket before running after the girl.

“Excuse me!”

 

**Author's Note:**

> [ I wanted to add a little HC I saw you answer at the end hence the setting](http://the-reylo-void.tumblr.com/post/153240025777/if-you-ship-two-professors-is-it-a-scholarship)


End file.
